This study presents a toolbox of four Cre-dependent optogenetic transgenic mouse lines, engineered to express channelrhodopsins (ChR2-tdTomato, ChR2-EYFP), halorhodopsin (eNpHR3.0), and archaerhodopsin (Arch-ER2). These lines enable light-induced activation or silencing of cortical pyramidal neurons in both in vitro and in vivo settings. The ChR2-EYFP and Arch-ER2 lines demonstrate light sensitivity comparable to that of in utero or virally transduced neurons. The study also shows specific photoactivation of parvalbumin-positive interneurons in behaving ChR2-EYFP reporter mice. The robust, consistent, and inducible nature of these ChR2 mice represents a significant advancement over previous lines, while the Arch-ER2 and eNpHR3.0 lines are the first to demonstrate successful conditional silencing. The toolbox, combined with the existing Cre-driver lines, will facilitate widespread investigations of neural circuit function with unprecedented reliability and accuracy.This study presents a toolbox of four Cre-dependent optogenetic transgenic mouse lines, engineered to express channelrhodopsins (ChR2-tdTomato, ChR2-EYFP), halorhodopsin (eNpHR3.0), and archaerhodopsin (Arch-ER2). These lines enable light-induced activation or silencing of cortical pyramidal neurons in both in vitro and in vivo settings. The ChR2-EYFP and Arch-ER2 lines demonstrate light sensitivity comparable to that of in utero or virally transduced neurons. The study also shows specific photoactivation of parvalbumin-positive interneurons in behaving ChR2-EYFP reporter mice. The robust, consistent, and inducible nature of these ChR2 mice represents a significant advancement over previous lines, while the Arch-ER2 and eNpHR3.0 lines are the first to demonstrate successful conditional silencing. The toolbox, combined with the existing Cre-driver lines, will facilitate widespread investigations of neural circuit function with unprecedented reliability and accuracy.